Museum hosts naturalization ceremony

A packed room of family and supporters cheered 35 foreign-born U.S. residents Friday afternoon at the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum after they recited the Oath of Allegiance and became U.S. citizens. The event is scheduled each year in conjunction with Constitution Day, celebrated Sept. 17.

“I’m happy. I’m happy. I got my citizenship today and I’m happy,” Abdigani Abib, 29, from Somalia, a line worker at Tyson Fresh Meats who has lived in Amarillo for five years, said.

The group of new citizens included mostly people from Mexico but also immigrants from India, Somalia and Sudan.

In his keynote speech, Anand Commissiong, a political science professor at West Texas A&M University, urged the candidates for citizenship to take their newfound rights as Americans seriously.

“Right now because you’ve gone through the tests and everything ... you know more or as much as many natural-born citizens of this country, but don’t forget what you’ve learned in this process,” Commissiong said.

“Don’t forget where you’ve come from, either, in this process, for although now you will become equal to the rest of the citizens in this country, you have something to contribute, and that’s part of the responsibility that you will now be granted.”

James Calvi, a political science professor at WT, led the crowd in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance after giving a brief history of the pledge, including controversies that have surrounded the pledge since its inception in 1924.

“I hope that all of you who will recite the pledge with us today have the words in your heart,” he said.

Miguel Garcia, a 21-year-old junior mechanical engineering major at WT and Tijuana, Mexico, native, said his path to citizenship was long and expensive. He said his U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services application cost about $700.

He also was required to interview with immigration services officials and take written and oral tests to prove he could speak English and knew about U.S. history and government.

“The test was pretty easy. I’ve lived here in the U.S. a long time so I knew those answers pretty good,” Garcia said. “I think the most difficult part is just the waiting part, traveling to Dallas on my own just to take the interview. I am a college student. I’m kind of broke, so I think just getting the money to go down to Dallas and stay the night at a hotel, that was pretty difficult.”

He said he decided to apply for citizenship to advance his career.

“There’s different companies and internships for my major ... there’s several opportunities that are offered just for citizens for federal agencies,” Garcia said. “Naturalizing is going to open those doors for me — and also voting and being able to hold federal office.”

Before reciting the Oath of Allegiance, whereby candidates for citizenship renounce allegiance to foreign nations, vow to uphold the Constitution and serve in the U.S. armed forces if required by law, candidates watched a video message from President Barack Obama.

“Always remember that in America no dream is impossible,” Obama said in the video. “Like the millions of immigrants who have come before you, you have the opportunity to enrich this country through your contributions to civic society, business, culture and your community. You can help rewrite the next great chapter in our American story.”

After the Oath of Allegiance, museum director Guy C. Vanderpool congratulated the new citizens for their accomplishment.

“Welcome. You are a part of our community, you are fellow citizens and together we’ll all move forward,” Vanderpool said.